One of our most successful
European exploratories (first run in 2003), this trip provides a
unique opportunity to be among the first to paddle the rivers of
Portugal’s most remote and unspoiled regions. Northern Portugal:
“Rivers of the Minho & Tras os Montes” is a sampling
of Portugal’s best wild rivers utilizing an inn to inn format.
Despite the beauty and suitability of many of these rivers, Portugal
surprisingly still remains a frontier of European river running.

Northern
Portugal’s far northeastern corner Trais Os Montes (“Beyond
the Mountains”) is a wild rugged mountainous land -seldom
touristed - where rustic towns and villages retain the medieval
character of centuries past. It is traversed by the Rio Duoro, northern
Portugal’s major river system, which then flows westward through
the lush and verdant Minho region - tucked under the hem of Spanish
Galacia in Portugal’s northwest corner - ultimately reaching
the sea at the famed coastal city of Porto.

Starting with the uppermost
canyons of the Rio Duoro, our party traces that riverine route.
The dramatic gorges and remote canyon access of the rivers such
as the Rio Sabor and Rio Tua (class I-II rapids, some Class III,)
typify the northeast, while vineyard laden terraced hills, ancient
cedar and chestnut forests, and pastoral villages and valleys characterize
the scenery of the Rios Rabacal and Tamega (both Class I-II) to
the west.

We
stay in a selection of accommodations; small hotels, mountain
inns, and even a medieval pousada or two. Local traditional
inns, cafes, and taverns throughout all of northern Portugal
serve wonderful Portuguese food and wines. Our trip begins
and ends in Porto - famed for it’s production of port
wine. Its labyrinth of steep streets, decorative tile work,
wrought iron balconies, and intricate gardens are reason enough
to visit. Both tandem and solo whitewater boats are available.